


where are you from?

by kookyjiin



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier | Dandelion Has a Past, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, Mild Language, Past Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27764302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kookyjiin/pseuds/kookyjiin
Summary: “Well, if you’d allow a humble bard to join you on your adventures I would be pleased to accept, if you’re willing to have me.”“Of course.” Geralt said a little too quickly. “Of course-Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer run into a familiar bard on their travels.Geralt gets to apologise and finds out a little more about the bard than he originally thought.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Kudos: 43





	where are you from?

The reunion wasn’t exactly like Geralt had planned; not that he would ever admit this anyway.   
The trio, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri had been travelling across the lands in search of a sanctuary, a place they could potentially call home for a short time while they figured things out.   
Unfortunately, that wasn’t so easy in a country that was split by war and each town had someone who had heard of Geralt’s past or recognised Yennefer - it was time to go packing.   
Ciri seemed to be enjoying the time on the road however, she was getting to explore far more of the country than she ever could have imagined originally in her castle, even if some times it was rather short lived, and sure, monsters were never a strong point.   
Geralt occasionally got wind of contracts, and searched them out to earn the little group some coin for their next stopping point - this was how the trio found themselves approaching a new town on the horizon. 

Ciri could see the smoke spiralling up into the white clouds as they approached the village from the rocky road. Large mountains loomed in the background, and the town seemed to be surrounded by lush rolling hills; it looked almost out of a fairytale or story Ciri would have heard as a child.   
“Where did you say you might have an idea the informant would be?” Yennefer asked from in front of her.   
Yennefer rode on a white horse that contrasted Geralt’s own, Ciri behind her.   
“In town. Probably the tavern.”   
“Of course.” Yennefer sighed.   
“It’d be better if we headed there at dusk.” Geralt grunted, “he’s likely to be in there, and a large enough crowd will be easier to hide in than an empty tavern.”   
Yennefer nodded her agreement and pressed her horse forward.   
Ciri drew her hood up as they approached the village entrance, Geralt mumbled something that sounded like; don’t make any trouble, which made Yennefer laugh from in front of her.   
“The only one causing trouble here is you, Geralt.”   
He didn’t argue with her. 

The tavern was located further into the village, almost smack in the middle of it, Geralt approached it first pushing open the doors and allowing his fellow travellers to enter before him.   
“Well, it’s certainly not empty.” Yennefer hissed.   
Ciri peered around her to view the almost full tavern, people were crammed onto tables laughing loudly with tankards in their hands. Bar maids were scurrying around trying to keep the peace and keep the drinks flowing, Ciri wasn’t sure she’d seen so many people in one small space.   
“What’s the occasion?” Yennefer asked as they group made their way along a wall toward a table in the corner that was luckily empty.   
“Ah, you must be travellers!” A barmaid caught their arrival as the group sat down, “tonight is an important night!” She said happily, “last day of the harvest, so everyone’s out ‘ere celebratin’ and we gots some entertainment tonight too - I hope you all enjoy it!”   
“Entertainment?” Ciri asked watching them nervously.   
“Probably a bard or some kind of festival if it’s the end of a harvest.” Geralt said taking a tankard that was placed on the table by the same barmaid and drinking deeply.   
“I hope it's not a bard.” Yennefer grumbled drinking from her own tankard. 

Geralt’s mind was other preoccupied rather than thinking about what the entrainment would be, he was casting his eyes around the tavern in hopes of searching out his informant - but the tavern was that crowded by various looking men that all looked like the description he had heard, he wasn’t sure which way too head.   
A strum on a lute broke his train of thoughts as he eyed a man across the room from him, he tore his eyes away to look toward a circle that had formed in the middle of the room.   
A young bard stood in the centre, a man was talking to him and the crowd closest was jeering - the bard raised his hand dramatically, Geralt felt a pang, before seemingly agreeing to what the man had said because the crowd cheered and raised their tankards at the man.   
He strummed the lute again to more cheers from the closest of the crowd, Geralt groaned, where all bards this dramatic?   
Then the next words caused Geralt to choke on the beer in the tankard, Yennefer let out a bark of laughter and Ciri, well, just sit there. 

“Alright good sir, alright!” The bard cried laughing as he strummed his lute again. “As requested, for your listening pleasure…”   
He positioned himself in the centre of the crowd, gods, why did they request this song of all songs? Hadn’t he wrote other songs that were catchy and spread throughout the kingdoms? No? Ugh, thats just his luck isn't it.   
_“When a humble bard,  
graced a ride along  
With Geralt of Rivia…   
Along came this… Song.” _   
He paused, for dramatic effect of course, which seemed to please the crowd as the cheering continued; he better get good coin for this!   
Jaskier was a performer above all and even though his heart could be breaking he could perform it with a smile.   
He glanced at the crowd as he sang, he really did have them in the palm of his hands, he was sure to get a lot of coin after this; well he better after singing his popular song but the song he really hated to sing…   
_“Toss a coin to your Witcher, O’ valley of plenty!’_   
He strummed at the lute dramatically to cheers as he made his way across the tavern floor, he turned to flourish a gesture toward a group of young women who giggled and fawned; still got it.   
_“toss a coin to your…”_   
As he turned toward the back of the tavern, his eyes laid upon a white haired man at the corner table, he wasn’t drinking alone this time, a hooded smaller figure and a women he knew quite well; and the words of his song caught in this throat as if they were choking him, as if the Djjin was back stripping him of his voice again. But no, this time, it was Geralt.   
“Witcher…” 

How on earth Jaskier got through the rest of his performance at the tavern he didn’t know, he was a hurricane of emotions.   
Relief, he had heard nothing but rumours about Geralt since the mountain and every time he was afraid it would rumours of the white wolfs death, anger, sadness and about 50 other things a human could feel at one go, Jaskier was sure he was about to explode.   
He thanked his crowd again, gathered up his coin and with one last bow made his way to the exit; did he want to go to the corner table? Yes.   
Was he going to be stubborn? Yes.   
Jaskier sighed breathing in the night air as he shouldered his lute, squared his shoulders and was about to make his way across the village to the local inn when the hooded figure appeared before him; Jaskier was in half a mind to swing his lute at the figure, was it a curse from Yennefer?   
“Excuse me mr Bard?”   
Jaskier choked, but shouldered a smile and turned to look at the hooded figure.   
“Yes? Can I help you?”   
“Your performance was fantastic!” The figure replied, why was it keeping its hood up? “The Witcher song though - is that true?”   
“True?” Jaskier said with a little laugh, “every word. A bard would never lie about his adventures, including ones with certain Witchers.”   
“Even if the lyrics were twisted a bit?” A rough voice said behind him.  
Jaskier almost dropped the lute he was holding, he caught it at the last second and spun around on his heel. 

Jaskier hoped that venom filled his eyes, but he was not good at that, he shoved the lute back up onto his shoulder roughly squaring them as best he could as he looked up into the pale features of Geralt.   
“Geralt.” He said roughly.   
“Jaskier - i am glad you are well.”   
“Yes, well, I am. Thank you.” And Jaskier turned again on his heel hoping to storm off, maybe inflict some hurt back on him for wishing him out his life, but Jaskier rarely got what he wished for.   
“Jaskier.”   
He sighed, and why was he turning back around? Why could he really not resist?   
“What?” He snapped.   
“Come and have a drink with us.”   
“I… I’m sorry but I cannot.” Jaskier said puffing out his chest slightly, “I am rather tired and do not wish to inflict my company upon those who do not want it. Good night.”   
And with that Jaskier marched his way toward the inn, he was rather proud of himself actually, well he was, until a hand grabbed his shoulder.   
“Jaskier.”   
“Oh for fuck sake Geralt, what?” Jaskier all but shouted, Geralt hushed him rather quickly looking around, “what? Still on the run from people? Oh did my bad luck not run out when I left? Do apologise for that.”   
“Will you stop it?” Geralt hissed, “please for a moment.”   
“Why?” Jaskier snapped eyes narrowing, “why should I?”   
“Because I want to apologise.” Geralt said, “I have thought of nothing but that day since It happened, how I would apologise; I feared I could be too late, the last memory you having of me the one on that mountain. It was wrong of me.”   
Jaskier stared at him, this was more words than Geralt had ever said to him before and honestly he wasn’t sure how to react to it.   
“Well, if you’d allow a humble bard to join you on your adventures I would be pleased to accept, if you’re willing to have me.”   
“Of course.” Geralt said a little too quickly. “Of course.” 

Yennefer was not surprised to see the bard in toe when Geralt began to pack his horse up for the road again, Yennefer was surprised at how easily that Jaskier had forgiven Geralt; Yennefer was almost certain that Jaskier was one to hold a grudge or at least not forgive someone hurting him so cruelly.   
Yet here he was, a small sack on his shoulder and lute on the other chatting away to Ciri who was firing questions at him left right and centre, Jaskier was answering her happily as if he didn’t mind the million and one questions, some personal, some even Yennefer was curious about.   
“Where are you from?” Ciri asked, Yennefer caught the tense in his shoulders that eased almost at once.   
“I am from the road my dear, I settle nowhere yet live everywhere!” Jaskier said dramatically flourishing his hand.   
“No, I mean, where was you born?”   
“Ah, my dear that is by far one of my less interesting tales.” Jaskier said with a sweeping wave of his hand turning around on Ciri, Yennefer noted the dark look on his face as he said this and the hurt look Ciri threw him.   
“No tales are uninteresting.” Ciri challenge marching after him, “everyone has a story-“   
“Oh would you look at that!” Jaskier said clapping his hands, “the horses are ready, let us make haste.” 

The group travelled in relative silence through the landscapes, something that Geralt found oddly uncomfortable, Jaskier was _never_ silent. At first her wondered if it was just returning to Geralt after the mountain, and of course there was Yen, the pair never really got on very well, but for someone who had loved blessed silence on his travels now found it eerie.   
“Where did you say we are travelling too again Geralt?” Ciri asked breaking the silence that was oozing around him. He cleared his throat slightly glancing over toward her as she rode on Yennefer’s horse.   
“Lettenhove.” Geralt said roughly, “I got wind of a contract there that could prove more useful than I originally thought. We’ll make camp soon though, it’s still a fair while to go until we reach the city.”   
“I’m sorry where?” Jaskier asked for the first time in hours.   
“Lettenhove. Do pay attention.” Yennefer said chuckling a little at him, this only caused the scowl on Jaskiers face to darken.   
“Why on earth do you want to go there?”   
“I told you - there’s a contract there that could-“   
“There are contracts everywhere.” Jaskier cut across him.   
“Why are you so against going to Lettenhove?” Geralt asked, more curious than mad at him at this point; in his past travels with Jaskier, the bard had been more than happy to venture to any city or town, even ones he’d been chased out of by an unhappy husband after catching the bard in more comprising positions. So why was Jaskier so afraid now?   
On the other hand Yennefer found the situation far more amusing than Geralt.   
“You can always stay behind and watch the camp.” She suggested with a smile.   
“Perhaps I will and you can see why Lettenhove should be left well and truly alone!” Jaskier said with a rather undignified stomp of his boot before marching a little behind the pairs horses. 

Nightfall covered the forest like a blanket before the group knew it, Geralt suggest pulling off the main road under cover of the trees and lighting a fire; Ciri was quick to agree, she was cold and hungry and above all curious about their newest addition to the group. Geralt lit the fire while Yennefer used her magic to pitch up their lodgings for the night, Jaskier volunteered to make the food while Ciri supervised him.   
Ciri was a good judge of character and she could tell that the bard was hiding something big underneath the smiles and dramatics; but she really could not understand what it was - was he really human? Did he have a secret lover? Okay, that last one didn’t seem so unrealistic.   
But no matter what questions she threw at the bard, he remained cool and collected as if he had been playing the part for years; she saw the way however Yennefer looked at him sometimes, was there a history? And above all Ciri caught the glances he threw Geralt when he thought nobody was looking.   
“May I sit with you?” Ciri poked her ear close to the coverings of the tent Yennefer had made to try and overhear the conversation currently taking place outside.   
“It is rude to eavesdrop you know.” Yennefer said behind her, but Ciri waved her hand at her in a hushing motion which caused Yennefer to laugh.   
“Yes.” Came the curt reply from Jaskier who was sitting around the dying fire still as he fiddled with the lute in his fingers.   
“I truly am sorry.”   
“Geralt, I told you.” Jaskier said with a sigh and a strumming of strings. “It is in the past, I have drawn a line under it and got over it; truly, these past few years I have been wondering how you have been. I have been listening to the rumours of you in taverns, the hushed whisperings in villages saying that a white haired, pale faced man had been threw the village promising to slay monsters for a small fee. Every time I was wondered the rumours would be that the monster slayer had finally been defeated.” Jaskier sighed. “So, in truth I was very much glad to have seen you in that tavern.”   
Geralt simply blinked in response.   
“I can’t… apologise enough Jaskier.” He grunted, “I took my anger and frustration out on you and that wasn’t right of me when you’ve been there for me and helped me out those years.”   
Jaskier gave a small laugh that sounded like music to the Witchers ears.   
“It is in the past.” He said softly.   
“Hmm.” Geralt mumbled, “but Jaskier, why do you really not want to go too Lettenhove?”   
Jaskier sighed slightly kicking at a stone need his feet, the bard stared off into the fire for a good long time as if considering his options.   
“It is… A place where I have bad memories.” He finally admitted, “and no, not getting run out of town by someone’s husband. Actual, bad memories.”   
“Hmm.” Geralt grunted.   
“It is not a pleasant town for anyone - even those who lived there and I … I do not know if the town has changed or if it has remained the same and I would prefer to stay as far away from it as I can.”   
“I need the information Jaskier.” Geralt said slowly. “You could always wait behind-“  
“I know.” Jaskier said quickly waving his hand. “I am willing to go along and help you out with whatever you need, I trust you Geralt, that if things go south that you will be there.”   
“Of course.” Geralt said quickly determined to prove his loyalty to Jaskier again. “I will always be there.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've ever wrote for this fandom and this might be a mess as I wrote most of it after long days of work; but I had fun and enjoyed it!   
> I'm currently playing the games, but based their personalities more from the series than the games as I haven't got that far into the games just yet.


End file.
